Kidney disease affects more than one in seven adults in the United States. This challenging disease doesn’t always produce symptoms during its earliest stages, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat.
Clinical researchers are heavily focusing on investigating early-stage kidney disease to improve the lives of people affected by this condition. The sooner a kidney problem is detected and treatment begins, the higher the chances of avoiding consequences like kidney failure.
Kidney disease is known as a silent disease that all too often develops without any apparent symptoms until it has advanced. The lack of symptoms can continue up to stage 3. At that stage, the disease has already significantly progressed.
Even the primary testing for kidney disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using a serum creatinine, a waste product from muscle metabolism, does not effectively detect an initial loss of kidney function. Additionally, the rates of routine testing of blood and urine are low, especially in nondiabetic populations.
There are numerous reasons why early-stage kidney disease has become a focus in clinical research.
Early-stage kidney disease can be slowed or even reversed, as long as scarring hasn’t taken place. Once that occurs, reversal is not possible, and acting as quickly as possible is vital.
Patients who are aware that their kidney function is impaired can make lifestyle changes and diet modifications, and physicians can prescribe medications to slow down the disease’s progress. Beginning treatment during the early stages of the disease can delay kidney failure by up to 15 years or more.
Kidney disease is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, even during its earliest stages. Kidneys that aren’t working at their best may fail to filter out toxins or get rid of excess fluids. This causes the heart to have to work harder, resulting in high blood pressure and fluid overload.
Additionally, diseased kidneys release small particles called extracellular vesicles that damage heart muscles. If the kidneys don’t produce as much erythropoietin, a hormone produced primarily by the kidneys that regulates red blood cell production, as the body needs (which occurs with even early stages of kidney disease), patients can develop anemia along with mineral imbalances.
Imbalances of phosphorus or calcium cause stiffening of blood vessels, which may lead to further heart problems.
Clinical research into kidney disease opens the door to improved treatment strategies. Scientists can better understand the various genetic factors that often impact the development of this disease. With this knowledge, they can offer personalized and patient-specific treatments that may lead to better results than conventional options do.
There has been a significant push throughout the medical community for biologic treatments. These target specific molecular pathways, which not only increases their effectiveness but also helps to reduce side effects.
Clinical studies that focus on kidney disease are also used to develop better diagnostic and screening tools. These improvements can have a significant impact on how soon medical providers can catch the disease.
As clinical research progresses, it may become easier to identify high-risk groups that could benefit from more frequent screenings. This enables early disease management and improves the chances of preventing the condition from progressing.
Struggling with kidney disease can be devastating. It’s often caught too late to reverse the damage. Patients with kidney problems may have to take medications that have distressing side effects.
If the disease progresses, the need for dialysis can seriously affect a patient’s quality of life. Even if a transplant is available, post-transplant care is lifelong, and it comes with its own set of challenges.
At Orlando Clinical Research Center, we assist pharmaceutical companies as they work toward finding more effective tools and treatments for those with early-stage kidney disease. We facilitate Phase I through IV clinical trials in our state-of-the-art facilities, where we put both sponsors and participants at ease.
Currently, we’re running a number of studies that explore how specific investigational products are broken down, absorbed, and eliminated from the body. If you’d like to participate in one of these existing trials or you’d like to begin your own, contact us for more information.
